Page 13 of Serve and Protect
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After my shift ends, I head home to shower and change into civilian clothes—a pair of blue jeans and a dark green Henley. I live in a small, one-bedroom cottage on the edge of town, just four blocks from Jennie’s house. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s clean. I don’t own much in the way of stuff, so it’s easy to keep tidy.
At six, I comb my damp hair—making sure there’s no remnant sign of hat hair—and put on a bit of cologne before I head to the diner to catch Jennie before her shift ends. I know it’ll be busy this time of the evening, but that’s okay. I just want to see her one last time before I call it a night.
Does this make me a stalker? I don’t think so. I prefer to think of myself as her protector. I just want to make sure she’s all right.
Chapter 5 – Jennie
On Friday nights, I meet my girlfriends—Ruth, Maggie, Hannah, Maya, and Gabrielle—at Ruth’s Tavern for dinner and drinks. They’re my girl posse.My family.
Hannah McIntyre and her husband, Killian Devereaux, own McIntyre Wilderness Excursion Lodge, located on the outskirts of town. The Lodge offers outdoor activities for tourists who come from all around the world to ride horses, camp outdoors, fly fish, hike, learn how to climb rocks, and flirt with the local men. Proceeds from running the Lodge fund their true passion—McIntyre Search and Rescue.
Maya McKendrick works as a rock climbing instructor at the Lodge. She’s also a member of the search and rescue team. Gabrielle Hunter is manager of the Lodge restaurant.
When I walk into the tavern tonight, I spot Robyn working as a server. Ruth and her significant other, Jack Merchant, are manning the bar. The guys—Micah, along with Maggie’s husband, Owen, and Hannah’s husband, Killian—are seated at a booth. John Burke, Gabrielle’s grumpier half, is there, too, along with Travis Hicks, who also teaches rock climbing at the Lodge.
I wonder if we can legitimately call it Girls Night Out when all the significant others are sitting just a few yards away.
The only person missing at the moment is Chris, but I’m sure he’ll be along soon.
“Jennie!” Maggie waves me over to an available seat next to her.
We’re at one of the big tables that seats six. It looks like I’m the last to arrive.
As soon as I’m seated, Maggie puts her arm across my shoulders for a one-armed hug. “How’s it going?”
“Good.”
“Any more sightings of your ex?” she whispers.
“No, thank God.”
There’s already a pitcher of beer on our table, so I pour myself a glass. I notice Maggie is drinking a Coke tonight instead of beer. “What’s with the soft drink?”
Her expression transforms instantly into a huge grin, dimples flashing as her cheeks deepen in color. “Why do you think?”
“Oh, my God! Are you serious?”
She nods. “We just found out this morning. I think I’m about six weeks along.”
I lean in to hug her. “Owen must be over the moon!”
“He is.” Maggie and Owen have one child between them, a one-year-old daughter named Claire. Maggie has two teenage sons, Riley and Brendan, from a previous abusive marriage. “He’s been hoping we’d have another one. I told him not to hold his breath. Not at my age anyway. I told him we were lucky to have conceived Claire. I certainly didn’t expect to luck out twice.”
I bump shoulders with her. “Forty-three is not too old.”
Ruth joins us then, bringing a party platter filled with all sorts of hot appetizers—boneless wings, mozzarella sticks, potato skins, fried pickles, pretzel bites with cheddar cheese sauce for dipping. The works. “I guess Maggie told you the news,” she says, noticing my smile. “I just found out a few minutes ago. Tonight, we’re celebrating.”
We all raise our glasses and toast to Maggie and her new bundle of joy. The guys notice what we’re doing, and they raise their glasses, too.
A few minutes later, Chris walks into the tavern. Clearly, he’s off duty as he’s dressed in blue jeans and a dark gray plaid shirt, open at the neck. He’s got a white T-shirt on underneath. It’s notoften I see him out of uniform. My pulse speeds up at the sight of him, and for a moment, I allow myself to look my fill. His sleeves are rolled up, and I can see quite a bit of the tattoos decorating his right arm, as well as his sexy forearms.
Chris immediately scans our table, and when he spots me, he smiles and waves. As I return the gesture, I do my best to ignore the butterflies in my belly. I watch as he joins the guys at their table.
Maggie leans close to whisper, “All that boy needs is a little encouragement from you, missy.”
I snap my attention back to our table, to Maya who’s telling us about one of the guests she took rock climbing this morning.
